JP2881766B2 - Phased array radar device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a phased array radar device, and more particularly, to a phased array radar device provided with means for checking a tracking function for a target.

[Conventional technology]

Using an electronically controllable phase shifter, a predetermined phase corresponding to beam scanning is given to each radiating (receiving) element of an array antenna having a planar array configuration to capture and track a target such as an aircraft 3 A phased array radar device as a dimensional radar has recently become well known.

Conventionally, a system evaluation regarding target tracking of this type of radar apparatus has generally been performed on airborne or test flight aircraft at the time of evaluation.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Since the above-described conventional system evaluation of the phased array radar apparatus is performed for airborne or test flight aircraft, there is a disadvantage that the evaluation itself is limited and sufficient system evaluation cannot be performed.

That is, in these aircraft, the test flight aircraft has a low speed, and the turning performance of both of them is often insufficient for system evaluation. Further, there are various drawbacks that the flight route cannot be arbitrarily set according to the system evaluation, and that the evaluation time cannot be arbitrarily selected according to the system evaluation.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a means for generating a pseudo-reflection signal and using it instead of a reflection signal from an aircraft for system evaluation, thereby achieving a target flight condition required for system evaluation. Can be set arbitrarily, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide a phased array radar device capable of arbitrarily selecting an execution time and a place.

[Means for solving the problem]

The apparatus of the present invention provides n radiating elements, which are arranged in a plane to form a phased array, with directivity corresponding to a predetermined beam scan, and receives n first radiating elements and outputs n first radiating elements. A second phase shifter for providing a phase corresponding to the azimuth and elevation angle information of the pseudo target signal supplied in place of the outputs of the n radiating elements to the phase shifter;
N phase directional couplers coupled to supply the output of the phase shifter to the first phase shifter, and the generation timing of the amplitude is set based on the distance information of the pseudo target set in advance. A pseudo target signal generator that generates a pseudo target signal similar to the transmission signal; and a distributor that distributes a pseudo target signal generated by the pseudo target signal generator to each of the n second phase shifters. A controller for controlling the second phase shifter so as to provide the pseudo target signal distributed to the second phase shifter with a phase shift amount corresponding to the preset azimuth and elevation angle information. And a pseudo target position generator configured to output the azimuth and elevation angle information and distance information relating to each of a plurality of types of pseudo targets set in advance as position information of the pseudo target.

〔Example〕

 Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a transmitter 1, a circulator 2 for switching between transmission and reception, a distributor / synthesizer 3, and n first phase shifters 4
-1 to 4-n, n directional couplers 5-1 to 5-n, n radiating elements 6-1 to 6-n forming a phased array, a receiver 7, a tracking computer 8, a display 9, beam controller 10, pseudo target signal generator 11, controller 12, pseudo target position generator 13, distributor 1
4 and n second phase shifters 15-1 to 15-n.

In the configuration of the embodiment described above, the directional couplers 5-1 to 5-
n, pseudo target signal generator 11, controller 12, pseudo target position generator
13, a distributor 14 and second phase shifters 15-1 to 15-n are parts directly related to the present invention, and the others are the configuration of a conventional general phased array radar device.

First, the operation of a conventional general phased array radar device will be described.

The transmission power output from the transmitter 1 is equal to the circulator 2
Is supplied to the distributor / synthesizer 3 via the.

The distributor / combiner 3 distributes and supplies the input transmission power to the n first phase shifters 4-1 to 4-n.

The n first phase shifters 4-1 to 4-n receive the phase shift control signals for controlling the relative orientations of the excitation coefficients of the radiating elements 6-1 to 6-n from the beam controller 10, respectively. The input is given a phase shift of φ _A1 , φ _A2 , φ _A3 ... Φ _An , respectively, so that the radiation elements 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. The radiation beam is given a characteristic.

In this embodiment, the radiation beam formed in this manner is formed so as to use a so-called monopulse system in which an angle error with respect to a target is detected in principle with one pulse and used for tracking. In the monopulse method, a plurality of antenna beams are simultaneously arranged in a space. In the case of the present embodiment, the antenna beam is formed as a sum beam pattern and a difference beam pattern by two beams in each of the azimuth direction and the elevation direction,
The difference signal based on the difference beam is used for determining the absolute value of the angle error, and the sum signal based on the sum beam is used for determining the polarity of the difference signal.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the characteristics of the forming beam in the embodiment of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the beam pattern of the present embodiment for performing the target tracking in the monopulse format is 2
The beam is formed as a beam pattern 51 having a sum beam of two beams and two difference beams in each of the azimuth and elevation directions, thereby tracking the target. The second case shows a beam pattern in the height direction.

The beam pattern 51 is set so that the beam center direction is set by the first phase shifter, and a beam corresponding wavefront 52 of a substantially plane wave is formed in a direction perpendicular thereto.

Second phase shifters 15-1 to 15-n shown in the embodiment of FIG.
Are three-dimensionally with respect to the beam center direction, the azimuth direction is θ _T , and the elevation direction is _{Ｔ T.}
To the phased array radar device, and the beam pattern 51 is tracked in the direction of the pseudo target. At the very least, the tracking function can be checked.

Returning to FIG. 1, the description of the embodiment will be continued. The target received signal captured by the beam pattern 51 shown in FIG. 2 is supplied from the first phase shifters 4-1 to 4n to the distributor / synthesizer 3 and synthesized, and the sum beam input 201 is transmitted through the circulator 2. The difference beam (azimuth) input 202a and the difference beam (high / low) input 202b are supplied directly to the receiver 7.

The receiver 7 has a three-channel receiving circuit that receives the sum beam, the azimuth, and the elevation difference beam output, respectively, amplifies them, and supplies the amplified signals to the tracking computer 8.

The tracking calculator 8 calculates the absolute values of the angular errors Δθ and Δψ from the previous data in the azimuth and elevation directions from the difference beam output, and uses the sum beam output for discriminating the polarity of the difference signal, normalizing, and calculating the tracking of the distance. The position of the target based on the tracking data is displayed on the display 9 by the PPI method or the like. The tracking calculator 8 also calculates a tracking angle, which is a three-dimensional angle of a space to be directed next to the radiation beam, from the angle errors Δθ and Δψ, and supplies this to the beam controller 10.

The beam controller 10 generates a phase shift control signal for setting an amount of phase shift for directing the radiation beam in accordance with the input tracking angle, and thereby the first phase shifters 4-1 to 4-n And the radiation beam is tracked to the target, and a transmission timing signal is supplied to the transmitter to perform monopulse transmission.

The above is the basic operation of the conventional phased array radar system.To check its tracking function, it is necessary to select an airborne aircraft or operate a test flight aircraft, and in many cases, a high-performance phased array radar system As described above, the evaluation of the array radar device has a disadvantage that it cannot be sufficiently performed.

In this embodiment, this problem is solved as follows.

The pseudo target signal generator 11 receives a beam mode switching signal for switching a beam generated from the beam controller 10 to a pseudo target, and further receives a transmission timing signal, and then receives a transmission timing signal. A pseudo target signal of a pulse is generated and supplied to the distributor 14 for distribution to the second phase shifters 15-1 to 15-n. This pseudo target signal uses a transmission timing signal as a time reference, and generates and distributes a pseudo target signal similar to a transmission waveform at a timing and amplitude of a delay time corresponding to a distance signal provided from a pseudo target position generator 13 described later. To the vessel 14.

The pseudo target position generator 13 sets a plurality of flight patterns in advance by simulation or the like, and stores the azimuth, elevation angle, and distance data for each flight pattern as pseudo target position information. This pseudo target position information can be read out at the timing of data acquisition synchronization of the phased array radar device based on a plurality of model programs in consideration of reflection characteristics and fluctuation characteristics that differ for each type of target. , An angle signal relating to the azimuth and elevation angle in the pseudo target position information,
Further, a distance signal is supplied to the pseudo target signal generator 11.

The controller 12 determines the phase shift amounts φ _B1 , φ _B2 ,... Φ _Bn of the second phase shifters 15-1, 15-2. And outputs a phase shift control signal for controlling according to the azimuth and the elevation angle provided by. Thus, the second phase shifters 15-1 to 15-n are each subjected to phase shift control in accordance with the pseudo target angle information, and further receive the distributed pseudo target signal from the distributor 14.

The outputs of the phase shifters 15-1 to 15-n having a controlled phase relationship corresponding to the position of the pseudo target are respectively sent to the first phase shifters via the directional couplers 5-1 to 5-n. 4-1
４−4-N are provided instead of actual inputs to corresponding phase shifters,
Thereafter, all the systems perform the tracking operation for the pseudo target.

Such signals supplied to each of the first phase shifters 4-1 to 4-n are sum and difference beams formed by the reflection elements 6-1 to 6-n and the first phase shifter. It is of the same type as the captured target signal, and enables the tracking performance to be checked arbitrarily using the desired position and motion pattern by setting a simulation program. Further, the present invention enables an evaluation test to be easily performed anytime and anywhere.

In this way, the system can be easily and reliably evaluated by generating and inputting a reflected signal by the pseudo target with contents equivalent to the actual reflected signal independently of the beam formed by the radiating element.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a phased array radar device, a pseudo target is set and a pseudo target signal is generated independently of the antenna target beam, and this is converted to a target signal by the antenna beam. A phased-array radar device that can perform arbitrarily setting targets required for system evaluation without being affected by the flight performance and flight path of the aircraft by inputting in place, and can perform system evaluation without being restricted by location and timing conditions There is an effect that can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing characteristics of a formed beam in the embodiment of FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transmitter, 2 ... Circulator, 3 ... Distribution / combiner, 4-1 to 4-n ... First phase shifter, 5-1 to 5-n
... Second phase shifter, 6-1 to 6-n radiating element, 7
... Receiver, 8 ... Tracking computer, 9 ... Display, 10 ... Beam controller, 11 ... Pseudo target signal generator, 12 ... Controller, 13 ... Pseudo target position generator, 14 ... Distributor, 15-1
~ 15-n ... second phase shifter.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-92667 (JP, A) JP-A-64-88279 (JP, A) JP-A-63-305268 (JP, A) JP-A-62 291206 (JP, A) JP-A-61-224603 (JP, A) JP-A-60-73475 (JP, A) JP-A 64-42483 (JP, U) JP-A-63-161375 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01S 7/00-7/42 G01S 13/00-13/95 H01Q 3/26-3/42

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A phased array (phased array)
ay) is provided with directivity corresponding to a predetermined beam scanning to the n radiating elements, and the n first phase shifters that receive the outputs of the n radiating elements are used for the n first phase shifters. A second phase shifter for providing a phase corresponding to the azimuth and elevation angle information of the pseudo target signal supplied in place of the output of the radiating element, and an output of the second phase shifter to the first phase shifter And a pseudo target signal for reproducing a pseudo target signal similar to the transmission signal while setting the amplitude and the generation timing based on the distance information of the pseudo target set in advance. A generator, a distributor for distributing a pseudo target signal generated by the pseudo target signal generator to each of the n second phase shifters, and the pseudo target distributed to the second phase shifters. The azimuth and the preset direction for the target signal A controller for controlling the second phase shifter so as to provide a phase shift amount corresponding to the low angle information, and the azimuth and elevation angle information and distance information for each of a plurality of types of pseudo targets set in advance And a pseudo target position generator for outputting the pseudo target position information as the pseudo target position information.